


The Mad Empress

by Lenkia



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alpha Ben Solo/Kylo Ren, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Victorian, Ben is 28, Betrayal, Extremely Dubious Consent, F/M, Heartbreak, Heavy Angst, I won't tag much because it will SPOIL!!, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Rey (Star Wars), Pregnancy, Pregnancy Kink, Revenge, Rey is 18, Romance, Virgin Rey (Star Wars), ish, no beta we die like men, then it's not
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:33:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24613834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lenkia/pseuds/Lenkia
Summary: Rey, the Empress Leia's maid, was rumored to be a lovely child. Happy, innocent, and extremely loyal to the mother figure Leia was to her. There was a constant smile on the humble girl's lips and no one expected anything from the well-mannered, young maid.But something changed. Something happened that shocked the whole country.Now Rey is the Empress - has threatened Leia from her throne heartlessly and claimed it as legally hers. Something wicked has possessed her and they say it's the toxic need for revenge. They say that she's mad. Filled with grief, anger, and desperate for the smell of blood. His blood.They say that she fell in love. They say that she was heartbroken.What happened to Rey? What happened that made her the Mad Empress?
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 28
Kudos: 109





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hellooo guys! I've been wanting to post this FOREVER, but I had such a headache figuring out what to do! 
> 
> So, further, in the story, there will be a plot twist. The plot twist contains stuff that I'd normally like to tag, but I won't! I'm really don't want to spoil it (the whole story would go to waste!), so instead; when the plot twist is revealed, I will write the tags at the bottom of the chapter so you can read it and decide from there on if you'd like to continue or not. 
> 
> I make it sound like it's so serious with the tags, but it's really not! I even tagged the "spoiler" but very briefly so you'll have an idea. I even think you'll figure out the plot twist a few chapters later lmaoo I'm such a drama queen.

_ Rey had once stood and been with the four maids. One with the group.  _

_ Unnoticed, identical with the black and white dresses and with the same hair set of three small buns. Rose, Bazine, Jessika, and Kaydel were not just the Empress’ maids, but sisters. The group of women, including Rey, used to joke and giggle with Empress Organa all while complimenting her perfect form and beauty as they helped her with the beautiful, pearl embroidered dresses worth more than every item in the closet together. _

_ Empress Organa laughed with the group of girls, called them her daughters, kissed them on the cheeks once they were done as a show of gratitude and gratefulness. As if they were her children and not her maids.  _

_ And Leia, she would always have Rey last.  _

_ She would cup Rey’s face, smile at her as if she was Rey’s mother, and while all the other girls got a quick kiss on the cheek, Leia closed her eyes and gave a long lingering kiss on Rey’s forehead.  _

_ And Rey, she would bloom and feel the stinging pain of tears create under her eyelids. Feeling so loved by the mother she has wished for her whole life, and the mother she finally had. Empress Organa, who had saved Rey when she was just 14 years old from becoming a part of the Omega trafficking that once was the norm before the war. Who had saved her from becoming nothing, and becoming her daughter instead.  _

_ Once Leia leaned out from the kiss, she would smile with love shining in her eyes, and Rey had been so satisfied with what she had.  _

_ Being a maid and have Leia’s love. It had been enough then. More than enough.  _

_ It’s not enough anymore.  _

_ Leia had been loved by the maids, by the servants, by the people. By everyone.  _

_ Rey doesn’t think she will be as loved as Leia.  _

_ She doesn’t think she is loved at all.  _

_ Because the maids that Rey once stood and been with is now helping  _ her _ dress. There is no laughter, no compliments among them. Just an awkward, tense silence as the maids shakes with fright, giving each other horror-filled glares by the fact that Rey - once wearing the identical maid dresses as them - is now wearing an expensive gown. Jet black, as in the color of darkness and revenge, with a long, dragging cape embroidered with black pearls and diamonds. Sparkling by the rays of sunshine's that managed to creep through the windows of the closet. Her hair that had once been as the girls, is now in a big bun with hazel brown locks around her face and her make-up contains smoky kohl around her eyes and blood-red lips.  _

_ Rey wants to impress her people that waited for her outside the palace.  _

_ This is her first appearance as the new empress, after all.  _

_ “You are all done, Empress…”, Kaydel whispers with a low tone, one of Rey’s former sister. They, together with the rest of the girls, used to sit and eat lunch together while giggling about how handsome Sir Poe Dameron is.  _

_ But by the hatred that flamed in Kaydel’s eyes, Rey is now pretty sure they aren’t sisters anymore.  _

_ Rey watches herself in the mirror with apathy, satisfied with the final look before she slowly lifts her chin to see the almost healed bite mark on her gland. It is still a bit fresh, matching the color of her lips and the mark of teeth still throbbed now and then. The rest of the maids - her sisters, once upon a time - became uncomfortable, too afraid to show it, and let their eyes land on the floor in embarrassment.  _

_ Rey stared at it, stared at the mark until her body trembled. Until her lips turned small, eyes wet and all the small seeds of doubt that slowly grew in her, died as fast as it came.  _

_ Rey’s ice-cold heart turned even colder.  _

_ She takes a shaky inhale, before breaking eye contact with the biting mark. Joining the maids and avoided staring at it too.  _

_ “The corset…?”, Rey asked, dragging her hand over her abdomen covered with black fabric and expensive stones. _

_ “It’s not tightened.”  _

_ “...Good.”  _

_ A sudden sound startled all the women in the room, making them turn their heads towards the door. Arguing was soon followed behind the wooden entrance. A high pitched voice that Rey knew well enough, was screaming and barking at the poor soldiers guarding the door.  _

_ Rey knew that she had always been a stubborn girl, so she isn’t surprised when the door slams open, revealing a red-faced maid heaving angrily at Rey.  _

_ Rey has always been jealous of Rose’s bravery and fearlessness. _

_ But she doesn’t need to be jealous anymore.  _

_ “Empress, we tried to stop her-”, one of the soldiers claims panicked. _

_ “It’s alright, let her be.”, Rey says calmly. The two men nodded before closing the door after themselves. _

_ The maids and Rey all stare at Rose who wipes the angry tears on her cheeks with the sleeve of her maid dress, sobbing loudly.  _

_ “Rey!”, Rose screams, taking two fast steps towards her. “What are you doing, what the hell are you doing?!” _

_ Rey clenches her jaw, did everything in her power not to cry as Rose heaved loudly, taking a grip of Rey’s wrist. No one reacts by the movement made on the Empress. They all know of Rey and Rose’s history.  _

_ “Rose...”, Rey whispers. “I’m sorry-” _

_ “No, no Rey you aren’t sorry, otherwise you wouldn’t have done this!”, Rose sobbed, shaking her best friends wrist. “You wouldn’t have done this to Leia-” _

_ “You’re right.”, Rey claims with a raised voice. Rose still in shock. “You’re right. I’m not sorry about this. I needed to do what I had to do, but... I’m sorry that I hurt you.”  _

_ Rose blinked, shaking in sadness as frustration grew in her.  _

_ “You are selfish.”, Rose whispers. “The Rey I knew wasn’t selfish. My best friend,  _ my sister, _ was loving, kind, shy, and the most considerate person I’ve ever known. You are selfish.” Rose's eyes shined with anger. “You are  _ not _ Rey…”  _

_ Rey stared at Rose with apathy and she could almost hear the maid's teeth quiver against each other. With one elegant step, Rey slowly moved towards Rose and the stubborn girl lifted her chin in challenge. Rey did the same, revealing the bite mark that caught Rose's attention and her expression whispered of shock by the fact that the rumors spreading across the palace are true.  _

_ But it only lasted for a bit, for Rose was quick to recover. Her face back to the same spirited expression a second later. _

_ “I may or may not be Rey to you, but I’m the same woman as I was when I left this palace.”, Rey spits through clenched teeth, her body once again trembling in the same raging anger as before. “But you change when- when-” _

_ “When what?”, Rose asks and Rey grunts loudly, clenching her fists as tears slowly glazed her eyes.  _

_ “You won’t understand-  _ No one  _ will ever understand!”, Rey screams before turning towards the mirror again and feeling nothing but frustration and rage by the sight of herself. “Pathetic, I’m so pathetic!” _

_ “You aren’t pathetic, Rey!”, Rose claims loudly, shaking her head. “You are just a human being, you just fell in love-” _

_ “Shut up!” Rey screams so loudly that the windows almost tremble, shaking her head in pure anger and psychotic fury as the maids behind her squeal in fear. “Shut up! Don’t mention him, don’t fucking mention him!”  _

_ It turns quiet, if not Rey’s heavy breathing and the diamonds clashing against each other by her shaking body. Rose stares at Rey with wide eyes, completely shocked by her outburst and the maids behind her had the same matching expression.  _

_ Rey was never angry, Rey never used to scream.  _

_ She always used to laugh.  _

_ Rey took a few deep breaths, closing her eyes and composing herself, ignoring her audience. She turned towards the mirror once again, noticing the frustrated and angry tears that managed to escape her eyes during her outburst, that she quickly dabbed away. _

_ As if it never happened.  _

_ Rey smiled at her reflection.  _

_ “I guess I am pretty selfish...”, she whispers, before straightening her back and leaving the closet with the rest of the frightened maids holding her cape. Walking straight past Rose whose neck is hanging in complete sadness and heartbreak.  _

_ But no one has experienced real heartbreak as Rey has.  _

_ As Rey walks gracefully towards the hall were her council is waiting, she can’t help but stare at the silver lanterns hanging on the walls, covered with layers of dust. There are hundreds of them with the same propositional length between and they all held candles flickering with the fire of life as Rey swept through the long entrance.  _

_ Rey had lightened those lanterns many times.  _

_ It could take up to half a day, just making sure all of them were lit while the council had its meetings. Rey always listened while focusing on not burning her fingertips, even if she felt guilty about it. It wasn’t something for her unworthy ears to hear, but Rey couldn't help it. Their voices echoed in the large hall as if the walls mocked them. Yet, when Leia talked, it sounded perfect. Her voice steady, eager, and filled with passion, as a true leader should sound like. Apart from the others, when it echoed in the great hall while Leia preached, the walls didn’t mock her but only turned her tones into ones of music. _

_ So it was hard for Rey to not keep her ears shut.  _

_ A last glance at the lanterns reminded Rey that she would never have to light a single candle in her life ever again. In fact, not a single flame of fire would be lit in this palace. Rey wants it dark, dark, dark. As it should be.  _

_ Rey slowly approaches the table of the consults and her stomach tightens. The three of them are glaring at her, eyes filled with hatred, curiosity but mostly shock by the sight of her. Leia’s shy, humble maid that was just one with the group of workers. Never noticed, nothing special about her. _

_ Now the Omega is gracefully standing before them with a lifted chin and a shadow of darkness across her face. _

_ But it’s not that that makes her feel sick.  _

_ It’s the fact that Leia Organa is sitting with them. Fingers braided between each other and eyebrows furrowed in worry. The former princess looks much older after all the agonize she must have felt the last few days. Her eyes - filled with sadness and pity - stands out through the wave of hate and death.  _

_ It’s such a…  _ mothery _ , Omegan act. Loving your child, even through fire and blood. Even through hate and loathe.  _

_ Even if they are a monster.  _

_ Before Rey’s walls crumble down, the one she has built to protect herself from any more damage, she breaks eye contact with Leia and walks with a straight face towards the empty chair in the middle, the one that once was Leia’s seat.  _

_ Rey has polished this chair too. Many times.  _

_ It glances of gold and is softened with the fur of a poor unknown animal. Yet when she sits on it, careful to not tear her gown, it feels uncomfortable and foreign.  _

_ It’s not Rey’s seat. Her seat is in the corner, with the rest of the servants and maids that have no business being in a room with as much impact and influence as this. This is not Rey’s seat and this is not her fate.  _

_ But Rey will force it upon her. She will force and bend her fate until it obeys her and listen to her every demand. Nothing is going to stop her from reaching her goal. Not even such a stupid thing as fate.  _

_ She’s already halfway there. _

_ The Omega sighs relieved, before smiling at the Council that hasn’t said a single word nor sound since she arrived.  _

_ “Welcome-”, Rey starts but is immediately interrupted. _

_ “What is the meaning of this!?”, Sir Poe Dameron shouts, standing in despite and Rey doesn’t even have to look to know that Ma’am Amilyn Holdo is rolling her eyes by Poe’s sudden outburst. They usually don’t get along, Poe with a mind of a reckless child and Holdo with a one of a slow old man. _

_ Usually, Rey would have flushed by the sight of Sir Dameron. She can’t deny that she had a small crush on the Head of The Army. Something she shared with all the other maids and servants of the palace. The Beta’s victorious smile glistened and his charm is up to the roof. His plump lips and great personality were the main topics by the maids at nighttime and Rey remembers how Rose would pretend to faint whenever someone mentioned his name, making all the girls laugh.  _

_ Now, the sight of him does nothing to her. Nothing. Not even a racing heart. Perhaps that is a part of being mated. Nothing does it to her except her mate.  _

_ The bite on her gland throbs.  _

_ Rey trembles, her eyelids twitching in rage and nails digging into her palms until drops of blood run down her fingers. _

_ “What does it look like?”, Rey asks, voice raised. “I have taken over as the Empress.” _

_ “You can not do that.”, Ma’am Holdo ads, standing up and joining the Beta by his side. The Head of The Peace Apartment points at the stack of papers in front of her with nothing but panic and frustration. “According to the Law, it is mentioned strongly that only democracy can decide-”  _

_ “There is no democracy under my rule.”, Rey spits through clenched teeth, causing Holdo and the rest of the consulters to freeze in fright. “You and my people will obey every word I have to say and that is final!”  _

_ “Organa, Ma’am!”, the Head of the Peace cries. Holdo stare at Leia with pleading eyes and even Sir Lando Calrissian, the Head of the Economy, seems to beg with just his expression. “Please tell us what this is about?” _

_ With parted lips, as if she’s about to say something, Leia stares at her former council with frustration in her soul. A helpless and weak mumble leaves her throat as the counselors wait for an explanation, eagerly and desperately.  _

_ A scared servant walks with shaken legs up to the Omega and offers her water in a luxurious glass before hurrying her way to the corner. Rey takes it unnoticed before raising her voice once again in annoyance.  _

_ “Ma’am Organa has given me her place of the throne, rightfully and legally. There is nothing to explain.” Rey does everything in her power to avoid Leia’s sadden expression when she lowers her gaze and humbles herself.  _

_ “Why would she do that, if not under threat?”, Sir Dameron once again spits and Rey stands in vexation, eyes darkening and the hand holding the glass shakes in fury. Water drips it’s way down the edge, just as her patience. “An 18-year old, inexperienced girl has no place as an Empress!”  _

_ “Experienced or not, it does not matter…”, Rey claims and her next statement makes her swallow nervously.  _

_ She is a mouse, a hungry, desperate mouse, yearning for that piece of cheese but knows that it’s surrounded by traps. She knows that she will be hurt.  _

_ The walls around her are not strong enough, they will crumble just as Rey’s soul every time it will be mentioned. Every time it will be brought up. She’s as delicate as a vase, yet covered with cracks too. Barely standing.  _

_ Rey raise her chin and declares with a shaky voice; _

_ “I’m bearing Leia Organa's grandchild!”  _

_ The shock that settles the hall is enormous and awful. The counselors' eyes widen and their jaw drops, even the servants and maids in the corner lets out an escaping loud gasp before covering their mouths in fear, knowing that they aren’t supposed to listen. The news will be spread all over the palace by noon.  _

_ Leia’s neck hangs in sorrow, already aware of the tragic news and the tension in the room is choking Rey. As if two invisible and delicate hands grasp and press her air pipe until she can’t breathe until the bite on her throat starts to ache and Rey’s makeup covered face turns red in shame.  _

_ She’s completely humiliated and it causes her lips to quiver and eyes to shine by unshed tears. The statement was needed to prove her point, but the truth behind it is killing her and the consuls pale and shocked faces do nothing to calm her shame. It’s humiliating and terrible, and it only fuels Rey's anger even more.  _

_ Because the only thing that can smooth the burning pain of heartbreak is anger. Endless, burning anger that consumes her until the only thing she feels is hate and the need for blood.  _

_ Revenge. _

_ “It’s only right that I take over,”, Rey continues, voice shaky and breath heavy. “for I carry her successor.”  _

_ She doesn’t want anyone to acknowledge the despair filled fact that’s lurking behind her pregnancy or she will crumble before them, all her hard work of proving herself strong will die. Rey has become cold-blooded and unemotional. Nothing matters anymore but to reach her goal and she will. She’s going to.  _

_ But if someone mentions it, if someone even  _ thinks _ of it, all apathy inside will die and be replaced with fury. She will explode. She will kill. She will scream if she hears his name- _

_ “You may carry Organa’s grandchild,”, Ma’am Holdy suddenly claims, eyes shining with rebellion as she once again stands up in revolt. “But you also carry the child of a traitor.” Rey stare at her with twitching eyes and her hand's trembles when-  _

_ “You are mated and claimed by someone as monstrous as Kylo Ren-” _

_ The glass that once was held in Rey’s hand is now smashed to the floor and thousands of sharp pieces fly across the hall, causing everyone to scream and cover their faces in fright as the Omega heaves loudly before clenching her eyes in pure misery and rage.  _

_ She screams through the hall, the walls echoing her despair-filled wails and the servants are crying is fear when the candles, one by one, go out. As if a dark wind sweeps through the hall and swallows everyone whole by the Empress mad and psychotic outburst. The council stares at her once again with widening eyes, fear blooming in their souls.  _

_ Now knowing what a broken heart can do to once a shy and joyful girl. _

_ “Don’t mention his name!”, she wails, so loudly her sobs are barely heard over her screams. “Don’t mention his name! Don’t, don’t don’t  _ ever _ mention his name or I swear to the gods with all my heart that I will burn this whole place down and take you all with me!”  _


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw, I forgot to mention this but English is not my first language. Yes. Now you know. Enjoy.

_**Two months earlier** _

“Rose, we shouldn’t be here!”, Rey whispers alarmed under her breath with a light giggle to it, glancing around in panic as she tries to hold her balance. The kitchen floor is slippery, covered with grease and years of Unkar Plutt's sweat dripping down his body and on the poor floor. 

It’s here in this ill-lighted, untidy and garlic smelling area, that the magic is made. The food served in the palace is so beautiful and delicious. It’s unbelievable that it’s created by someone as hideous as Chef Unkar Plutt, that grumpy old man. He would constantly mumble under his breath and yell at whoever had the misfortune of bothering him during supper-making. There would be no difference in the treatment of a server or a politician… It’s a miracle he isn’t fired yet.

But Rey may start to realize why the man is to be so angry-looking all the time. It isn’t unusual that the staff of the palace sometimes  _ borrow _ a bit of food from the pantry, a piece of chocolate or other sweets. The Beta would rage every morning by this cause, and when Rey saw his red, flushed face screaming through the slip of the kitchen door, she had been certain that she’s  _ never _ to go near that pantry. It would save herself from both embarrassment and his foul breath in her face.

But here she is now. 

“Come on, Rey!”, Rose whispers excitedly, walking to the pantry without a sign of uneasiness. Steps confident and targeted. “The Chef won’t notice a missing strawberry or two. Or three.” 

Rey chuckles, pressing a palm to her mouth and shaking her head in excitement. The hair escaping her three buns joining the movement too. 

“But what if we get caught? What if he comes in right now?”  Rose turns her head to her best friend and rolls her eyes.

“Rey, don’t start now. We never do anything bad-” Rey hums and Rose laugh lightly. “ _ -you _ never do anything bad. That’s why  _ we _ deserve something sweet, right?”

Before Rey can answer, Rose has already hurried her way to the pantry and slips through the door like a snake. 

“Keep guard!” 

Rey swallows in nervousness - the thrill Rose hyped her up to slowly increasing - and immediately looks around the empty kitchen, searching for voices. Rose has always been the brave one. Who came up with the ideas and said the funny jokes. Her big mouth got herself in trouble times to times, and yet she was the most popular with the maids. The girls all like her straightforward personality, sharp tongue, and wicked sense of humor. Rose is never afraid. She even flirts a lot with one of the guards named Finn, that minx! A charming Beta just as Rose herself and now everyone is waiting on Finn to ask Empress Leia for her maid’s hand. It is time, after all, Rose is 21 - three years Rey’s senior

When Rey had first arrived at the palace of Naboo at the age of 14, she was a shy, fragile and skinny child. Quiet, humble, and head always lowered. A behavior she was forced to learn at a young age at the orphanage she was raised in, a wooden stick the punishment if she obeyed.

_ An Omega shouldn’t talk, _ they said.  _ They are supposed to be quiet and only speak when an Alpha demands them too. _

Those rules applied before the Great War though. Before the Great War, the Alphas ruled under Vader. Their designation at the top of the pyramid and Omegas seen only as breeders. It was a scary time for the few, rare Omega’s. Especially for Rey who presented at the age of 14. If Empress Leia hadn’t overpowered Vader and his regime in time, Rey would have long gone been sold to the popular Omega trafficking that was held by Vader himself. 

Rey heard many stories from the other Omega’s at the orphanage - even from a few girls that she never saw again - and Rey has somehow developed some kind of... fear for the other designation.

Thank Gods that there are no Alphas in the Palace. Empress Leia made sure to make her ruling Alpha-free. 

That being said, when Rey had arrived at the palace - still scared and traumatized by the discrimination - the rest of Leia’s maids rarely talked to her. Her gloomy aura seemed to repel the rest of the maids, assuming the Omega as prude and distant. Even different, since all of them are Beta’s, but Rey doesn’t blame them now. All the girls had been raised close to Leia, and Rey had appeared out of nowhere suddenly worthy of one of Leia’s daughters because of their matching designations.

Then Rose befriended Rey and that changed everything.

Sure, Rose is a wild soul. She is also loud and mischievous and the maids always like to remind Rey how her best friend is such a bad influence to her, for Rey suddenly turned to be playful and teasing - compared to how she was when she first entered the palace. 

But Rey doesn’t see it as a bad influence. Perhaps she wasn’t as mischievous as her best friend before, but Rey has always been a happy child who shined of energy and love. The rest of the girls noticed it too, once they became friends. 

“Rey, I found some chocolate too!”, Rose screams from the pantry, her head popping out from behind the door. Rey jumps startled, completely gone in thoughts and memories, and she sees Rose red around her mouth, chewing on something juicy and sweet. “And screw it! Let’s take the whole box, dammit! These are delicious.” 

Rey grinned.

Okay, perhaps Rose did influence  _ some _ bad behavior to Rey. 

“Hey!” Both the girl froze, eyes wide as pies when they slowly turn to face the despised man they did not want to have the pleasure to meet. Unkar Plutt stood by the door, walking in just at the right time to see Rose with strawberries around her mouth and Rey cheering her on, and his fat face is already turning red in anger, chest heaving as if he’s about to erupt and explode all over the kitchen. “What are you doing?!” 

“Run!”, Rose screams and without second thoughts, they do.

Rey sprints out the kitchen, gripping her black-and-white maid dress and raising it above her knees like a proper young lady shouldn’t do, hearing the Chef scream after them. The Omega glance over her shoulder to see Rose right behind her, holding the box of berries with both arms and one strawberry in her mouth as if it was a pacifier and Rey can’t hold her laughter, the sight too hilarious. Both the girls laugh as they run through the hall, the old man long behind them, his fat body not able to catch up as tears run down their cheeks, barely being able to breathe. 

The sight is so funny to Rey, that she barely notices the winds screaming in her ear, the Chef cursing long behind them. 

Empress Leia right in front of her. 

Rey gasp and stops, almost tripping over her foot and crashing right into the Empress if it wasn’t for her extreme luck. Rose bumps right into Rey’s back and they both freeze by the sight of Leia and the rest of the maids behind her. They all stare at each other with wide eyes, shocked by each other's presence and the box of strawberries in Rose’s embrace doesn’t go unnoticed at all. Neither does the one in her mouth. The situation can not become much worse when Plutt’s raging voice still echoes through the halls, cursing after the two maids.

“Empress Leia!”, Rose sings with false delight after she spits the strawberry out. “I heard from one of my fellow sisters that the Empress herself was very much in need of some strawberries.” 

Both Rey and the rest of the maids behind Leia turn to the liar, eyes both rolling and becoming small by Rose’s statement they all knew wrong. Even the Empress herself raises her eyebrows in humorous shock, running her palms over the beautiful, red dress she wore, sparkling with diamonds as delicate at the strawberries themselves. 

“ _ ‘Some’ _ strawberries?”, Leia mutters, eyeing the berries suspiciously. Causing the maids to snicker and giggle behind her. "I don't remember asking for _'some'_ strawberries." 

“Then, one of those witches has lied to me then!” 

“Who are you calling witches?”, Bazine, one of the Empress maids, cries. Causing Rose to grin proudly and Empress Leia to roll her eyes by the childish behavior of her maids. 

“And I guess you dragged my dear Rey into this too!”, she sighs, glancing at Rey who felt her cheeks redden. 

“Empress, actually-”, Rey lifts her finger, wanting to point out that she did it on her free will. But the obvious stares from all the women in the hall cause Rey to stumble over her words and glance apologetic to her best friend with the box of berries in her arms. “I’m sorry, Rose…” 

Rey didn’t want to let all the blame be put on Rose, but the Omega is no liar. And they all knew that - explaining their knowing eyes. Her soul was simply too pure for lies. 

“Betrayer!”, Rose cries in false heartbreak, causing them all to laugh by her dramatic outburst. 

“Oh, my dear, mischievous Rose!”, Empress Leia giggles, shaking her head. “You always manage to surprise me with your daily  _ adventures. _ Both you and Rey are too old for this by now, but what to do… You know the consequences.”

They knew. Every time Rose - and the times she managed to drag Rey into it - got in trouble, they would have to clean Leia’s chambers each inch perfectly instead of attending and serving Leia during the meetings. Now, being professionally silent and serving Leia during her discussions with the council in the hall isn’t much fun. But it’s much better than cleaning. 

The girls both sigh, not surprised by the outcome. 

“Yes, Empress…”, they sing in harmony. If Rey remembers correctly, Leia would have a meeting in a few minutes and they would take time. That means they have many hours to work with. 

“Good.”, Leia smirks as mischievous as Rose, glancing at the strawberries. “And ladies, since Rose claims you as  _ ‘witches’, _ then you might as well act like ones! Enjoy your strawberries.” 

Both Rose and Rey cries when Bazine, Jessika, and Kaydel laughs happily, snatching the box from them and pointing their tongues at them mockingly. 

“You’ll pay for this!”, Rose screams after them, once they leave for the meeting. Their backs becoming smaller and smaller the further they walk down the halls of the palace. Rey rolls her eyes defeated before snatching her best friend's dress. 

“Come on, we have chambers to clean.” 

By the time Rose and Rey are done cleaning, many hours have gone by. The room is shining and smells of fresh air and linen. The bed is made and the pillows beautifully decorated on it in with the most delicate, colorful fabrics there are ready to be placed under the Empress's head. 

But the meeting still seems to not have ended. 

They wait patiently on Empress Leia and the rest of her maids. The girls use to help Leia undress and make her ready for bed, perhaps even draw her a hot, calming bath if requested. Sure, some nights, meetings could go on longer than expected and the maids aren’t allowed to turn in before the Empress herself is satisfied and full, resting in bed. 

But both Rose and Rey yawns discreetly - even though no one else is in the chambers but them - and glance at the clock often. Feet aching and bodies yearning for their beds. Though Rey feels completely exhausted, she can’t help but worry. Meetings don’t usually last past midnight and her sisters must be as tired as they both are. Could something have happened?

“What is taking them so long?”, Rey asks bothered, noticing Rose’s eyes slowly dropping beside her.

“I don’t know. Must be Sir Dameron and Ma’am Holdo arguing again…” she answers tiredly. 

The answer seems logical. The Head of the Army and the Head of the Peace apartment always seem to discuss, never satisfied with each other's conclusions for they are so different. Leia would often complain about her two consults while messaging her temples in exhaustion. The last member of the council, Lando Calrissian, is the Head of the Economy and may be the only one who is civil enough for Leia to discuss with. 

“I bet Sir Dameron is  _ so _ frustrated that he ripped off his shirt by now.”, Rose grins through her tired expression and the Omega cries by the image in her head.

“No fair! Rose, if that is true, I’ll never forgive you for this. I could’ve seen him half-naked if it wasn’t for your failed plan.” 

The Beta truly is handsome, but nothing beats that charming smile of his that causes Rey - and the rest of the maids - to sigh with hearts in their eyes. His curly hair and soft eyes melt the soul and sometimes the girls would argue over the spot when the Empress requested one maid with her at a meeting between herself and the Head of the Army. 

“You are  _ too  _ young to have those impure thoughts, lady.” Rose mocks, causing Rey to roll her eyes. She may be the youngest in the group, but that doesn’t mean that she can have an innocent crush. “Besides, he’s a Beta.  _ Beta. _ Get yourself an Alpha.” 

“Where would I get myself one?”, Rey protests, shaking her head. “There is no one in the entire palace.” 

When Vader fell from his regime, Empress Leia made sure to point out that it was Omegas and Betas who won over the Alphas, the designations that they once saw as weak. By that, she made sure that not  _ one _ single Alpha in her regime would work in the palace. Everyone, from the tailors to the guards, were either Omega or Betas. The Palace of Naboo is huge itself, yet the only Omegas Rey knew of was herself and Empress Leia. Their designation is rare, after all. 

But the people of Naboo contained all the three. The Omegas lived peacefully as normal citizens - with their yearly shots of suppressants - and the Betas did too. However, the Alphas are restricted to religiously eat suppressant and wear a collar over their mating gland by the neck. If not, they’d be sentenced to prison. 

Yeah, not many Alphas decided to stay at Naboo after the Great War…. 

“Besides, I don’t want an Alpha. They’re beasts.”, Rey mumbles, pouting her lips when thinking back at her time at the orphanage, the stories, and those poor girls. 

Rose raised her brows surprised, sleepiness slowly increasing by the interesting conversation. 

“But what about heats?” 

The H-word causes the Omega to gasp, feeling her cheeks turn red in embarrassment. The way she said it so casually is shameful and if there is one thing Rey hates the most, is heats. She’s never had one, but only the sound of it causes her body to shiver violently.

“I won’t have heats if I take my shot every five years.”, Rey mumbles embarrassed, laughing next by Rose's ridiculous grin. “I’m serious! The second I presented at 14, Leia gave me one. I’ll have to take one next year too. So no heats. I’m normal, just as a Beta!” 

“But you have those glands, and that sense of smell-”

“My glands don’t matter if I’m not in heat and smell - I haven’t smelled an Alpha my entire life. Only Betas and Omegas and I’d like it to stay that way.”, Rey interrupts, raising a hand.

“I bet you do, and I bet that one Beta that must smell amazing is Sir Dameron!” Rose throws herself at the floor dramatically, causing Rey to laugh. It is more ridiculous than hilarious, but the sleepiness must slowly get to them. “Oh, Sir Poe!  _ Sir _ !” 

“Stop it, Rose! What if Finn comes in right now?”, Rey giggles hysterically, placing a palm over her smiling mouth. 

“Well, if he comes to Empress Leia’s chamber at this hour, then we  _ both _ have some explaining to do!” 

They laugh even greater. 

The door to the chamber suddenly opens and both Rose and Rey freeze in terror, but the Beta is fast to jump to her feet and present proper. Hands straightening her dress and back straightened. It’s an art she must have mastered perfectly by now, the way she acts messy all the time. 

By the threshold stands Kaydel, alone and expression filled with frustration and sadness, that informs of nothing but bad news. The humor that once flowed in the room quickly died and became replaced by panic, Rey’s heart racing alarmed. Both the girls hurry their way to their friend, not wanting to scream across the room at such an hour. 

“Kaydel, what is happening?”, Rey asks worried, voice lowered. “Is the Empress alright?” 

Kaydel doesn’t confirm, nor deny. Only shaking her head slightly and her dark circles don’t go unnoticed. The girl must be so tired. She sighs exhausted.

“The meeting will go on for a bit longer. I’m only here to inform you that you may retreat for the night. Me, Bazine, and Jessika will take care of the Empress and make her ready for bed.” 

Both Rey and Rose glance at each other worried. 

“Rose, what should we do? I’m worried about the Empress.”, Rey cries from her bed, hugging her body covered only in her white nightgown. Rose, tired and gone for the day, seems uninterested by Rey’s distress. Walking across the maids' room with a single candle to make sure no windows were open. Her half-opened eyes, released, crazed hair and the white, identical dress, make her look like an unrested spirit. 

“Do not worry. I’m sure it’s nothing….” Rose stumbles over her words exhausted and Rey swallows nervously, glancing around the cramped room and the other three empty beds. 

The nights always end with the group laughing and gossiping with each other in low voices, talking about everything from Plutt’s ugly face to Dameron's handsome one. Kaydel, being the oldest of the girls, would scold them and demand them to sleep, but only that order made the staying up at night much funnier. 

Now the room is empty, the air is chilly and the situation feels eerie. It doesn’t make it much better than her best friend looks like a ghost flowing around the room, causing Rey to shiver violently. 

“Go to sleep, Rey. The girls will inform us tomorrow morning.” 

But Rey can’t fall asleep. Her limbs are aching in sleepiness, so does her feet and her eyeballs stings. She wants her body to rest and to match Rose’s snoring form from the bed, but the worry keeps her up one hour more until her lids slowly start to drop. 

Then she hears the bedroom door open and she shifts wide awake.

“Dear Gods….”, she hears Jessika mutter under her breath, closing the door after themselves. 

“The Empress must be devastated. Bazine, help me take this off.”, Kaydel adds and Rey hears Bazine open up the maid-dress with small huffs, loosening up the bands on the back.

“It’s only fair. The law must be followed.”

“Bazine, don’t be heartless. It’s her son!” 

That’s when Rey sits straight up, causing the three half-naked girls to shriek in fear, covering themselves with their arms. Rose manages to sleep through the panic with no problem, unsurprisingly.

“‘Her son?’”, Rey whispers panicked, her eyes widening by the statement. 

“Gods Rey, why are you awake at such an hour!?”, Kaydel hiss, uncovering her chest once she sees it’s only the Omega and not some pervert hiding in her bed. 

“Do you mean the Empress son? _ ”  _

The girls look at each other bothered, their expressions whispers of knowledge they don’t want to reveal and if it wasn’t for her exhaustion and respecting theirs, she’d put up with a fight by now. Being the youngest - and the only Omega - meant a lot of spoiling, but also much frustration by the sister's need of protecting her. 

What causes such worry in Rey is the fact that the meeting has been taking place for hours, the girls' talk of Leia being devastated and about her estranged son. 

Ben Solo. Not a person, but a name that has been thrown around the workers of the palace for years. Even when Rey arrived at the age of 14, that name must have surfaced several times, because she finally dared to ask Rose about the whispered name only 2 weeks of their friendship out of desperate curiosity.

It’s Leia’s son, who left the palace with the rest of the hundreds of Alphas after the Great War, unsatisfied with the new rules that applied for the designation. It wasn’t out of hate, Rey remembered Rose explaining to the girl, it was out of what was right. Ben Solo didn’t find the new ruling humane and saw it as discrimination, that Leia wouldn’t be much better as Vader. Ben Solo had tried to talk his mother out the extreme laws, but the hate for the designation ran too deep in the Empress blood. When Rose had explained the situation, Rey couldn’t help but feel pity for the son, for she knows how hurtful it is to be let down by your family.

Because Ben Solo was an Alpha himself. 

Rey can’t imagine having a mother that hates its child because of its designation. She can’t imagine what heartache the boy must have felt and she can somehow understand why he must have left when failing to pursue his mother.

Ben Solo, Leia Organa's estranged son, who hasn’t been seen in about four years. It was a topic no one has brought up since he left. Yet now, in the middle of the night, at the longest meeting Rey has ever encountered, it’s been talked about. Out of nowhere.

Rey is completely dumbfounded. 

“Please Rey, go to sleep.”, Jessika pleads, shaking her head with closed eyes. Rey is about to protest, but the amount of sleepiness across their faces causes her voice to get stuck in her throat. Pity slowly bubbling in her stomach for bothering and pursuing the poor girls who had been nice enough to take care of Leia themselves, willingly. 

“Alright…”, Rey mumbles, swallowing nervously before falling back to the bed.

The girls say no more. The sound of clothes and blankets rustling, beds creaking and the girls satisfied groans once their heads rest on the pillows fill the bedroom. 

Then it’s silent. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was there a huge difference in Rey compared to the first chapter? Lmaoo it is 
> 
> And what do you think happened at the meeting? Let me know! 
> 
> ~Lenkia


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, but we are getting there!!

Rey slams her palms against the wooden table in aggression, causing the three discussing girls to gasp loudly. Unfortunately, most of the workers of the palace turn their heads at the sudden sound, interrupted by their gossiping and causing Rey’s face to redden even more in anger.

“Why did no one wake me up?”, Rey hiss with a lowered voice, not wanting to cause more attention than she already has so early in the morning. 

The dining room placed further away from the beauty of the palace - many staircases down - contained many tables and chairs for the servants, maids, and even the guards to eat in. Morning, lunch and supper was the busiest time to be in, but even through screams and laughter, the workers of the Palace of Naboo managed to fit. 

Of course, the royalty ate breakfast in the finer dining halls. 

“Gods, Rey! What is wrong with you?”, Bazine hiss annoyed with a mouth full of porridge, wiping her mouth with the sleeve of her dress. 

“Bazine, Rey, relax.”, Kaydel says, lowering her palms in a calming matter. “Rey go get yourself some breakfast and then sit with us. We have lots to discuss.” 

Rey huffs, eyeing Jessika, Bazine, and Kaydel suspiciously before obeying the oldest in the group. 

Every day, Rey is woken up by Kaydel - the head maid herself - early in the mornings to get the Empress ready for the day. The sun doesn’t even show itself, that’s how early they wake up. 

Then why did she this morning found herself alone in their bedroom, woken up by the rays of sunshine's slipping through the windows and birds singing?

Rey can’t lie and say that it wasn’t nice to be woken so softly and to rest out the exhaustion from yesterday. But the fact that she was all alone, left out and still denied the information that may calm her worry from yesterday, bothers her. 

Once again, as the youngest and as the only Omega, they treat her differently and she doesn’t like that. 

Rose is only three years older than her. Bazine and Jessika five and Kaydel six - the oldest  _ and _ most mature, the reason for her given title ‘the Empress Head maid’. Not many years lie between them, making it easy for Rey to conclude that perhaps it’s the designation that causes them to baby her. 

Rey is back five minutes later, sitting next to Jessika with her own bowl of porridge. Impatiently staring at her sisters that tried to continue the discussion that - Rey, once again - interrupted. The girls roll their eyes and all but Kaydel focuses on their breakfast, the eldest leaning forward to make sure they aren’t overheard. They had responsibilities as the Empress’ maids, after all. 

“The Empress isn’t feeling well, so she decided to stay in bed and give us the day of. We decided to eat breakfast a bit later and leave you sleeping since you looked exhausted. Rose saw it fit to use the day with that lover of hers.” 

Rey gasps by the offense that her best friend left her for a man. And Rose had called  _ her  _ a betrayer. 

But her attention was quick to catch Kaydel's words and she instantly felt the same boiling panic of knowing that her mother figure may feel unwell. 

“Please Kaydel, spare me this torture and tell me what’s wrong with the Empress! What happened at the meeting?”

Kaydel looks at the Omega bothered, swallowing nervously before turning to her left as if she’s searching for some kind of support from her sisters. Even they seem extremely uncomfortable and decides to focus their attention on the bland porridge, acting ignorant to something that may be the death of Rey if she doesn’t find out soon enough. 

“Rey, you know of Kylo Ren, right?” 

Rey nods. Of course, she knows of the Alpha. It’s Snoke’s apprentice, even the future ‘ _ Emperor _ ’ of the First Order if it all goes according to plan. He’s rumored to be a warrior among warriors with his loyal knights and a strong, murderous monster who won’t think twice to execute you in place. Besides his knights, Ren himself is extremely loyal to ‘ _ Emperor’  _ Snoke and the belief of the politics the First Order preach. 

The First Order itself started right after the Great War ended. It was founded by - not surprisingly - Vader’s loyalists, who found Empress Leia’s discrimination against Alpha’s humiliating and faul. Alpha’s refusing collars and strong doses of suppressants left and built their own royalty in their territory, with Snoke as their leader. 

Their politics is not far from Vader’s - the same principles. Alphas are superior. Omegas are not, just used for breeding as nature intended it to be because of heats, the comfort of bearing pups, nesting, and influenced under  _ the  _ voice. 

Beta’s - there is no talk of Beta’s. They aren’t the topic of this war, it’s the rare Omegas and the dominating Alphas that they think they have the right to control. 

Rey - and all the other maids and workers - aren’t supposed to know of this information and facts. It’s being stated during the meetings with Empress Leia and her consuls, and the workers aren’t allowed to listen. They must serve and serve only, pretend that what is being said during meetings cannot pass through the ears of the lower class. But it is  _ quite hard  _ to not listen, especially when you’re serving them in the same hall. 

“Well… Dameron’s army found him yesterday in the river right outside the palace. It seems that he had been injured, became unconscious, and thrown into the water from the First Orders territory. His body must have floated down the river and all the way down here.”

Rey’s eyes widen and she feels goosebumps cover her skin. 

“Is he dead?” 

“No. Alive and caged inside the prison of the palace. His fate was discussed at the meeting yesterday, whether or not he should be executed. The decision will be taking place tonight at yet another meeting.” 

“No way!”, Rey shrieks, completely ignoring the rest of Kaydel’s statement. “Are you saying that  _ the  _ Kylo Ren is in this palace? Right here, right now?” 

Kaydel doesn’t seem half as impressed as Rey is. Her lips turn into a small line and the Omega can feel her legs twitch under the table, but Rey doesn’t understand. Does Kaydel feel guilt by the fact that the monster who discriminate her sister’s designation, may be executed?

Rey feels no remorse, whatsoever. She can still remember the fright, the horror of being an Omega during Vader’s ruling - even if it barely lasted months before he fell. But seeing those poor girls being sold as objects and used by their supposed ‘protectors’ still haunts Rey to this day and knowing of Ren’s loyalty and beliefs to Vader does nothing to Rey. 

She doesn’t feel a happiness that he may be executed - Rey doesn’t find any kind of death penalty right - but she doesn’t feel remorse either. It’s a grey area. 

“Rey…”, Kaydel whispers carefully, leaning forward. Scared that someone might overhear. “Kylo Ren claims that he doesn’t remember anything for the past 4 years. Even a doctor examined him and seems that believable, since he has head damage as well.” 

“Oh…”, Rey mumbles, suddenly feeling a bit ashamed by her excitement. If Kylo Ren has forgotten his unforgivable crimes, is it really fair to execute him? “And the council know of this?” 

“Yes, they are very much aware. But it’s not that…” Then Kaydel’s voice lowers even more and it’s barely hearable. “Kylo Ren is Ben Solo.” 

It becomes blank in Rey’s head. She stares at Kaydel with wide eyes, parted lips and it seems as every function inside of Rey stops to work. Her lungs stop to breathe out air, her heart doesn’t beat and even her senses become frozen. The dining halls - filled with screaming and laughing workers - seem to stand still behind her. 

Everything simply stops. 

“...What?” Rey’s voice is tight, hoarse and it takes a few seconds for the Omega to realize that it came out of her mouth. 

“Rey, Kylo Ren  _ is  _ Ben Solo! Apparently, the council didn’t know of this - but Leia did - and Ren claims that he is, in fact, Ben Solo and he has no knowledge of the name Kylo Ren or the crimes he has committed.” 

“Can you believe this scandal!?”, Bazine sings, suddenly deciding that it’s the right time to butt in and pretend that she wasn’t eating and was listening to the whole time. Even Jessika leans in and drops the feigned act. “I’m sure that everyone knows of this by now. It’s unbelievable how  _ stupid _ the council thinks we are. I mean, we,  _ many  _ guards and servers were working the whole meeting, what did they expect? That we’d stay quiet and not gossip?” 

As Kaydel scold Bazine of her harsh way of speaking about the council, Rey slowly lets her gaze fall across the dining hall and of the workers of the palace eating breakfast. They talk and gossip - just like every morning - but if Rey listens extra closely of the fog of discussions echoing in the halls, the keywords seem to be brought up several times during one, tiny second and so does the shocking facial expressions and entertained smiles. 

_ Kylo Ren, Ben Solo, Empress Leia, scandal.  _

Everyone knows of this by now - gossip is spreading like fire in the Palace of Naboo - and the worry Rey felt yesterday night has not settled. At all. 

Rey sat in the Empress’ maids' bedroom alone. 

She stared out the window, letting her eyes glance over the landscape of Naboo. It was the beginning of summer, pollen flying around the air like dust and insects buzzing around the nature of their homes. The palace - grey and _stoney_ \- surrounded them, and after came the river who ran past it and through all the lands of Naboo. The maids' room faced the back of the palace, so Rey only saw the forest thereafter. Fields of endless woods with paths like a labyrinth that leads to other villages of the landscape and the color green was vibrant and extraordinary. 

Any other summer day, Rey would nag on her sisters to go swim in the river when the temperature was its highest, as it was today. The Empress always lets them, sending them away with a few guards for their safety - and to watch over Rose so she wouldn’t do anything  _ adventurous _ and take Rey with her. 

But instead of imagining giggling bodies and water thrown at each other mockingly, Rey sees a body. The floating body of a rumored, murderous Alpha but also a son and man who doesn’t even remember it’s murderous acts due to memory loss. 

Who’s life is decided at this moment. 

The council is having a meeting and the Omega refuses to press her ear against the door as half of the workers are doing exactly right now, trying to catch any word that may seep through the door cracks. Even Jessika and Bazine went, trying to persuade her to go but Rey didn’t find any of this amusing. 

She didn’t found the death penalty amusing at all. But the man was  _ the  _ Kylo Ren. The man who stood by that disgusting Alpha Snoke, who plunged city’s, enjoyed the spoils of wars, made Omega’s their whores and breeders. 

And that same man is also Ben Solo, the Empress's estranged son. 

It’s confusing Rey, an awful mix of despair and frustration floating in her head but what bothers her the most is the fact that Leia knew. 

Leia knew. She fought against the First Order all this time - knowing that he was the next ‘Emperor’ of the First Order and her son.

Yet, Rey grieves for her mother figure. 

Because right now - whatever the council decides - Leia may have to see her son get executed, in the middle of the town square, surrounded by angry, screaming Omegas and Betas curse and spit on the body that will be hanged. The son who claims to have forgotten his acts and just the thought of it feels like a fist is squeezing her heart tight enough that it comes out as minced pieces from both ends. 

Rey doesn’t understand why people find this scandal as just another gossip. It’s their Empress's  _ son _ who may be hanged, but Rey also understands that it’s the man who has destroyed many people's lives. Who has killed their families and friends in the honor of Vader’s philosophy. 

Perhaps it’s the Omega in Rey. Perhaps the Omega in her can put herself in Leia’s shoes, and imagine her child - her  _ pup!  _ \- being killed in front of everyone. Who claims that he doesn’t remember anything. Who only remembers that he once was Ben Solo and that he only remembers being the son of Leia. 

Rey almost whimpers of the thought. Perhaps it is the Omega in her that makes her understand the despair Leia might go through now. That sees this as something tragic, and not just another scandal of the court. 

Rey continues to stare out the window, imagining that the Empress may do the same right now. Staring through the window and out her landscape, knowing that it’s all hers - that she has all this - but not having any power at this moment. 

The Empress has requested not to attend the meeting, not wanting to be there as they discuss if the traitor should be in prison for the rest of his life, or executed.

Rey doesn’t know if Kylo Ren - Ben Solo - deserve to be killed. The Omega herself doesn’t think highly of executions at all, but does that awful Alpha deserve it? Even if he claims that he doesn’t remember a thing?

The maid closes her eyes, thinking about waking up and having no clue why thousands of people hate her or want her dead. Thinking about the fact that the Empress herself is her mother, yet can’t do anything but to listen to the accusations she has no idea or memory of performing. 

Rey doesn’t know if Kylo Ren deserves this or not, but what she knows is that Leia doesn’t. 

The door suddenly opens and Rey glance over her shoulder to see Kaydel, Bazine, and Jessika walk in. They seem surprised by her presence.

“Aren’t you with Rose?”, Jessika asks, causing Rey to shake her head slowly. Her whole body, every limb, aches in sadness.

“Oh, that minx!”, Bazine cries annoyed, making Kaydel roll her eyes as she releases her hair of the three buns and Jessika jumps onto the bed exhausted. “I bet she’s with that guard again, doing Gods know what. Why doesn’t that idiot ever realize that her reputation is as stake?” 

The comment causes Rey to slightly blush, knowing for a fact - just as the rest of the maids - that the meeting of her best friend and the guard is  _ not  _ as innocent as one thinks. As the maids of the Empress, they have a reputation to uphold. It’s improper of a lady to…  _ engage  _ in those types of acts outside marriage. 

Every time Rey caught them in the act - because the girls  _ always  _ send poor Rey after her - Rose tries to calm Rey down and explain that he hasn’t ‘put it in’... So no worries! 

“Calm down, Bazine.”, Kaydel sighs, calm and mature as ever. “Rey, why don’t you go and tell our sister that it’s time for bed? We have to wake up early tomorrow.” 

Before Rey could protest - not wanting to find, interrupt, or see her best friend doing scandalous acts  _ again!  _ \- Rey remembers her never-ending worry and realizes that Jessika is here. So is Bazine. 

The meeting is over. 

“What did they decide?”, Rey asks, voice tense with worry and eyes wide as pies landing on the three girls every second. “What will happen to Kylo Ren?”

The maids stare at her uncomfortable, not wanting to say such brutal things and scare her - babying her once again - and if the silence continues one more second, Rey would’ve exploded. 

But Kaydel answers for her. 

“It’s decided that he will be executed. Hanged at the town square, early at sunrise tomorrow morning.” 

Ice seems to run through Rey. No, not ice. Icicles. Sharp, cold and slicing right through her body like a warm knife through butter, and if Rey didn’t felt a hard stone resting in her stomach before, she feels a sack full of them now. 

“That’s why we have to wake up early tomorrow morning and prepare the Empress. She has to be present, or the council will question her loyalty to the court.” 

Rey thinks she’s about to be sick. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's slowly building up guys! What did you think of this chapter?? Let me know!
> 
> ~Lenkia


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys...
> 
> I'm so sorry for the late update, it's just that I have so little time and decided to concentrate more on my story Remorse. Since it's a sequel, I just found it more reasonable to do so. 
> 
> But I really want to start updating here again, so here we go!

Many stairs down the palace were the dining hall, where Rey had breakfast just this morning, and on the same floor is Chef Unkars kitchen - where Rey became a strawberry-thief. It is also on the same floor as the seamstress room.

Maz Kanata is an extraordinary seamstress. She and her team of talented dressmakers create the most beautiful gowns for Empress Leia, the rest of the court, and the most comfortable fatigues for the workers. Her gift is as equal as Unkar's talent for food, only that Maz is much more pleasant to socialize with. 

The seamstress was famous for working hard for many hours straight, then resting many days after. If the Empress has a big event coming up, Kanata and her team wouldn’t start until a day before. It caused enormous stress with her workers, Rey has spoken with a few, but it was the way the seamstress worked. And Leia always trusted her that things would get done in time.

So far, Kanata hasn’t failed once. 

By that statement, it meant that the room is mostly empty. It's filled with fabrics, diamonds, stones, and needles.  _ Many  _ needles. Oddly, Rose decided that it was the perfect area to sneak away with her lover. The Omega knew that for a fact because she  _ always  _ found them there. 

_ Oh Gods, why was it always Rey who had to go get her and witness such sinful acts of her best friend!?  _

Rey stood in front of the door, swallowing nervously before knocking. Nobody answered. Perhaps they weren’t there. They’d always open, their hair messy and their lips were swollen in a playful grin. The memory of those hundred times causes Rey to grimace and she doesn’t understand what Rose finds in fooling around with a guard. 

Rey, tired, sad, and exhausted, makes the most brainless thing and opens the door because she just wants to go to bed and cry herself to sleep.

The sight is traumatizing. 

Rose is sitting on the edge of one of the sewing tables, legs spread wide open for the guard to fit between, and as thankful as Rey is that Rose’s lover has his trousers on, the maid’s dress is raised and pooling around her hips. The wooden table rattles with their movements, and Rey understands now why they didn’t hear her knock. 

Rose is moaning loudly, her arms locked around Finn’s neck and lips pressed against his. Finn is holding her thighs, staining fingerprints on the maid’s fair skin and if Rey hadn’t been taught at an early age thanks to Rose, she’d actually think that he’s hurting her and not the other way around. 

The way she screams, the way he groans and the violent thrust causes Rey to cry in disgust. 

“Rose, dear gods!”, Rey cries, covering her eyes in shame and the violated table stops to move in their sudden chock. 

“Rey, what the-” Rose jumps to her feet, and Finn, the poor thing, seems completely off guard by the sudden introduction. 

“Rey, why didn’t you knock?”, he asks, fixing his trouser by the groin, and Rey shrieks in protest. 

“I did!” 

“This is so embarrassing!”, Rose cringes, running her hands over the wrinkly dress. The maid glares at her lover next. “If you’d actually ask the Empress for my hand, then perhaps we wouldn’t have to hump in the basement of the palace like rabbits!” 

Finn groans, clearly tired of the repeated comment. 

“I told you already, dear! It isn’t time for that right now, with all that happens with her son.” 

Rey is suddenly reminded of her sorrow and it twists her heart in a wicked way. 

“Before that, then? Just admit that you’re scared of the Empress and I’ll ask myself!”

“No- come on, dear!” 

“I’m leaving...”, Rey suddenly mumbles, turning on her heels and walking out the room. “Rose, get to bed. We have to wake up early tomorrow.” 

It’s quiet behind her and it’s not until the Omega reaches the stairs that she hears her best friend's hurried steps behind her, stopping next. 

“Rey…”, Rose whispers, walking beside the Omega with worried eyes. “I’m sorry that you had to witness that. If it’s the whole marriage thing, don’t worry! I’m still a virgin, he didn’t put it in-” 

“It’s not that!”, Rey yells, stopping mid-way up the stairs to turn to the Beta. “It’s- It’s just-” 

Uncontrollable tears seem to fill the maid's eyes and it only seems to fret Rose more, causing her to take an alarming grip around her wrist. 

“Rey, please tell me what is bothering you so!”, Rose cries and the Omega shakes her head in embarrassment. “Tell me and I’ll try to do anything to spare you the burden you carry!” 

“I’m miserable for the Empress! I’m suffering, Rose.”, Rey cries, wiping her tears like the child she is. She hates when her sisters baby her, yet she acts like one. “Her son is being executed tomorrow, she must be devastated! Poor Leia, poor Empress! She doesn’t deserve this madness.” 

Rose looks at the Omega with a mixture of confusion and pity, and Rey doesn’t know what to think of it. The bothered face seems to tell that Rey’s frustration may be overdramatic, for no one should feel bad about an execution of one of the worst warriors there is. 

“It isn’t about Kylo Ren or Ben Solo, it’s about the Empress!”, Rey tries to explain through sobs but the look on Rose’s face seems to change at that moment. “No one has to see their child be executed right in front of them!” 

The Beta smiles, nodding her head like she’s trying to show that she understands, but she doesn’t, and the act itself only seems to prove Rey’s theory right. 

Rose doesn’t care about Kylo Ren and she thinks that this must be some kind of Omega reaction. 

Perhaps it is, perhaps it isn’t, but isn’t it in everyone’s interest, Alpha and Beta too, to feel sorry about someone you care for suffering? Even if it’s a monster being sacrificed?

Is Rey being crazy, or is no one reacting for the Empress? 

“Rey, I understand.”, Rose tries, her thumb swiping on her skin. Fingers still around her wrist. There is supposedly a gland there, but Rey has never noticed anything different. “You feel sorry for the Empress, but the execution needs to be done. It’s not just important to the people of Naboo, but for the First Order. To understand that there is only one leader, and that’s the Empress Leia Organa.” 

“I- I understand that, but it’s her son and he doesn’t even  _ remember _ anything-”

“Rey.” Rose silences her with a knowing look. “The Empress will understand. She’s strong.” 

The Omega feels her lip quivering, tears dripping down her chin like rain. 

It doesn’t feel right. No, it isn’t right. The Empress can’t be alright with this. As an Omega, Rey reacts this strongly for the Empress. Then how will Leia react? 

“Okay…”, Rey whispers, because she has to come to terms that her designation is something only she and the Empress will understand for now, and no one else. Rose wouldn’t understand, neither the other girls and how less different Rey is apart from the girls, the only thing being her designation, she will always be seen as the Omega and the youngest in the group. Sensitive, caring, and innocent. 

They won’t understand.

“I know that the Empress is like a mother to you - she is to all of us. But we will support her, just as she supports us and just as I will support you.” 

Rey smiles at her best friend, sobbing while nodding her head stiffly. 

Rose may never understand, may treat her differently, and think of her feelings as natural yet odd because of her designation. But the Omega is used to it by now, been treated like that by the sister all her time here, and she knows that they don’t mean any harm. They just don’t see her as a Beta and sometimes Rey just wished she’d lied about her designation and age. 

But they don’t mean any harm. They just care for her, as Rey cares for them. 

Rose smiles, tilting her head a bit in satisfaction. Knowing that she managed to make Rey happy and that smile itself says enough. Rose wants Rey to be happy. She’ll do anything for it because they’re best friends, sisters. 

Rey throws her arms around the Beta and they stand there in the middle of the staircase, hugging as if they would not see each other for a very long time.

“Seeing you happy is my greatest achievement.”, Rose whispers in her ear delicately. “I love you, Rey, know that.” 

Rey smiles. “I know.” 

When Rose and Rey arrive at their bedroom, the rest of the girls turn around to face them and as if Rose's interesting looks weren’t attention-bringing enough, their sight all lands on Rey’s swollen eyes and it’s as if all hell breaks loose. 

“Dear Gods, Rey! Have you been crying?”, Kaydel shrieks and Jessika is quick to hurry herself to the youngest. 

“Are you alright, our dear Omega? Did someone hurt you?”, she asks, cupping Rey’s cheeks with her soft palms and Rey shakes her head, blushing. 

“I’ll kill her, him,  _ it,  _ who was it?”, Bazine adds even though the answer was said, joining beside her sisters and soon all the eldest three girls fret over Rey as a mother goose with its duckling and Rey tries to calm them down, all while feeling so loved. 

Rey loves her family so much. 

It’s the middle of the night when someone shakes her unconscious body and wakes her up. It’s not just the soft palm on her shoulder that wakes her up from her dreamless sleep, but it is also the terrifying feeling that something is wrong. Very wrong. 

Startled, Rey immediately sits up. Gasping with widened eyes as if sleep slapped her across the face before it left. The racing heart should’ve calmed by now, but the sight of Empress Leia hovering above her with serious eyes does nothing of that sort. 

“Empress?”, Rey whispers completely confused with a groggy voice, glancing around the room in a panic to see the rest of the girls sound asleep. “What is happening? Is everything alright?” 

Hundreds of hundreds of questions flood her mind as she tries to understand what’s going on. The Empress has woken her up - in the middle of the night with a face whispering of rebellion. It’s easy to conclude that this has nothing to do with the duties of a maid for Kaydel is the one she should’ve woken up, as the title demands of her work.

“Rey, dear. I need you to meet me in my chamber. Immediately.” The Empress's voice is lowered yet demanding, as a true leader talks. But Rey had no time to admire her idol's choice of tone. “Wear something comfortable.” 

Rey nods, clearly confused yet happy to be able to follow some orders. Right now, sleep left unwelcoming but that doesn’t mean her consciousness has arrived. It still seems like the wheels in Rey’s simple, happy brain still isn't functioning. So Rey dutifully listens to her Empress and does as she says, taking out a simple, black dress of her that is a favorite to work in. Comfortable, yet light. 

Her eyelids keep dropping as she puts the dress on. Birds haven't even sung yet. It’s  _ that  _ early… 

Shamefully, Rey yawns under her palm as she hurries herself to the Empress chamber, still too tired to question why there are no guards outside her rooms. If it’s brief, she much rather goes to sleep as soon as possible. 

The sight of the Empress standing in the middle of her room with worried and panicked looks makes Rey straighten her spine. Empress hasn’t had a wink of sleep, the dark circles tell it all. It’s in that moment that Rey wakes up from her stiff, clueless and exhausted possession. 

Because it’s then Rey realizes that she hasn’t seen the Empress since the decision of executing her son. 

“Rey, dear. Come here…”, Leia whispers, reaching out her arms and Rey doesn’t wait long. She jumps into the embrace of her mother, digging her face into her collarbone as Leia lets her fragile fingers run over Rey’s head. The Omega thinks she feels the Empress’ wet tears land on the crown of her head but doesn’t say anything about it. She clenches her eyes, feeling sorrow for the Empress and sorrow that perhaps only they feel, for no other designation understands the trauma of seeing it’s pup killed - a monster or not.

Rey has never thought for children,  _ ever.  _ Yet there is a root in her that just screams for it. She hates being an Omega sometimes. If she was a Beta, she wouldn’t have suffered so much for the Empress and even be sleeping right now with satisfaction. 

“Empress Leia, what’s happening this late at night?”, Rey asks against her chest, eyes half-opened in exhaustion and the safety of being in her mother’s embrace. If Leia is just demanding comfort, Rey was much glad to help, even at two in the morning. 

“Do you remember the day we met, Rey dear?” The maid nods. “You were such a fragile, scared girl. Even at such an age, I remember seeing the fright in you. Yet such bravery...” 

Rey doesn’t remember being brave once during her childhood. It was an awful one, where the wooden stick was somehow always in contact with her skin. It was old Beta and Alpha aunties telling the frightened child how to please an Alpha once she’s sold off, while the other children in the Orphanage would freely do as they’d please. 

Being brave wasn’t something Rey could afford but keeping her sanity straight had always been a priority. She refused to become a brainwashed Omega who thought of themselves underneath the Alpha. It was that priority that saved Rey and made her the happy, independent maid she is and not a confused Omega not knowing what to do once the Alpha’s demands no longer served. 

Perhaps Leia took her stubbornness for bravery. Perhaps it’s equal. 

“I saw myself in you, in what I once was. A scared Omega who knew it was wrong.”, Leia whispers, and it’s awful that not many Omega’s knew how flawed the system was before. They simply thought that it was the right practice. But Rey knew it wasn’t and thanks to Leia, the rest of the rare Omega’s now know too. 

Leia suddenly leans out of the hug and the sorrow that once pooled in her eyes is immediately replaced by tenacity. The sudden change causes Rey to become alert in distress. The grieving is over. It’s the same look on her face the Empress has while discussing politics and the tight grip on the maid’s shoulders whispers of seriousness and riot. It causes Rey to shiver and it reminds her of the question of what her role is in the middle of this unnatural night. 

“You know how I knew it was wrong Rey? How I knew that Vader’s politics was wrong?” Leia places a palm on her abdomen. “My gut feeling. You and me, Omegas, are gifted with something the rest of the designation doesn’t have. It’s here we feel when something is wrong and we are designed to follow it. Wherever we like it or not.” 

Of course, Rey knows of this. It's thanks to many hours of reading in the library of the palace - curious of her designation that she can’t have contact with due to her suppressant. It’s the gut feeling that tells an Omega if an Alpha is the right one, if her pups are in danger.

If something is wrong… 

Rey swallows, suddenly understanding the Empress's words. 

This is about her son. And everything the Empress says is true because what Rey has felt since she found out about this tragic event is the complete emotion of wrongness and frustration that no other than herself can identify. 

“What are you trying to tell me, Empress?” Rey doesn’t know why she whispers with such caution, knowing that there is no one but them in her chambers. But she speculates that it’s Leia’s expression that is filled with desperation and lawlessness that causes her voice to tighten in fright. 

Leia swallows. Once, twice and then her eyes shine with wetness, and seeing her mother cry with desperate yet controlling emotion causes such heartbreak. Rey wants nothing but to sacrifice herself for the Empress's pain. 

“I saw him, Rey. I talked to him and the sadness in his eyes-” Leia sobs, placing a palm over her mouth. “He doesn’t remember his crimes. He still thinks himself of Ben Solo - he still thinks he is by my side, just as before he left for the First Order.” 

Leia places her palm over her abdomen once again, trying to collect herself as Rey watches with devastation.

“The same feeling in my gut believes in him. I believe my son when he tells me he doesn’t remember anything.” Leia shakes her head in disappointment. “I made a mistake all those years ago, choosing my carer over my child, and I can _ not  _ do it again. I can not, Rey. Or I’ll fail myself. As an Empress and Omega.”

Rey understands,  _ oh she understands so well,  _ and the relief of finally knowing that someone agrees with her feels wonderful. It was as if she’s gone mad, the way no one comprehended her grief. But Leia does and it’s the confrontation she needs. Rey hasn’t gone mad, she isn’t overreacting. She’s just acting on Omegan instincts.

“I understand you, Empress. I do, believe me!”, Rey claims with force and a firm nod of her head, wanting to know that Leia understands her pain. 

“I know you would.”, Leia says, lips turning into a straight line. Eyes digging into hers. “That’s why you have to escape the palace and take him with you.” 


	5. Chapter 5

Rey’s eyes widen and it takes a few seconds for her Empress’ words to form into an understandable sentence in her head. It is still very early in the morning, after all, and her brain might not have been started correctly. Even the memory of walking into the Empress chambers just now is a bit unclear. 

“Pardon me, Empress,” Rey chuckles empty, shaking her head. “I don’t think I quite understand your intention…”

Leia stares at her with the same firm expression, the face that whispers of riot, and suddenly it’s  _ very _ clear. 

Rey becomes pale and the sorrow she felt seconds ago transforms into dread instead. “Empress, w-what are you telling me?”

“You need to save my son and escape the palace with him,” Leia repeats it firmly as if the request won’t change Rey’s whole life - her whole existence. 

It makes Rey hyperventilate because she cannot obey her Empress no matter what. In the end, Rey even owes Leia her whole life - she was the one who saved the young Omega from being sold into trafficking. It has never felt like a debt, it almost feels a bit unfair, but now it is and Rey doesn’t know how to act. 

Rey owes Leia her whole life, and now she has to pay the exact sum. 

Rey said before that she’d do anything to sacrifice herself for the Empress’ pain, but this… This is… 

“Empress, this is a felon - a crime!”, Rey cries. “If the court found out about this, I’d be executed immediately!” 

The past few days Rey has felt nothing but pity for the Omega who has to see her pup get executed, but this isn’t right either. The laws aren’t always fair, even if the whole country but the two Omega’s are against it. But they cannot be bent and broken because of their lonely opinion - otherwise, the whole system would collapse. 

The Empress of all people should know of this, but Leia’s words still echo in Rey’s mind. She refuses to let anything happen to her son, or she’ll fail herself as an Omega and Empress. 

“I won’t let it happen,” Leia assures, and the tenacity that Rey seconds ago admired causes her to tremble - knowing that the same persistence will lead to her death. “I’ll make sure that you’ll be long gone and hidden before the sun rises, so we have to be quick.” 

The Empress walks to a bookshelf furthest in the room and Rey gasps when with a pull of a lever, a hidden passage appears beside it. The wallpapers separate clumsily, clearly a sign that it hasn’t been used for decades and once it opens, after a long trembling of stone grinding stone, a staircase of grey granite appears. It leads downwards towards dusty, void darkness that has Rey shivering for a whole different reason than exhaustion. 

“It’s a hidden lead from my quarters, originally an escape route only I know of. The stairs will lead you down to the lowest floor of the building. To the left is where the dungeons are. There will be guards outside so act quick and quiet. Ben will be in one of the cells. He is unaware of this so explain briefly and go back to the main lead immediately - it’ll take you to the river by the palace.” 

Rey stares at the hidden passage dumbfounded, still in complete shock, and it isn’t until she feels a warmer cloak placed on her shoulders that Rey lifts her eyes to meet the Empress, who ties it around her neck. 

Leia gives her a half-hearted smile as if the thought of sending her beloved maid has her in pain and Rey wishes this to be a dream. She wishes that she’ll soon wake up and be in her warm bed and that the summer rays seeping through the window hit her eyes to the point it’ll become annoying. 

But it’s not a dream, the firm palms gripping her shoulder encouragingly assures it. “We’ll tell everyone that you saw him and fell in love. That he had you so struck that the thought of his death was unbearable. You managed to lock him up, and then you eloped. No one will question it; no one understands dynamics between Alphas and Omegas.” 

It’s when Leia wipes the tears off Rey's cheeks with the soft skin of her thumb that Rey realizes she’s crying. Her body feels numb, completely paralyzed by the thought that the Empress chose her of all her loyal maids only because of Rey’s designation to blame. Once again treated differently by her curse. 

_ It hurts.  _

“But Empress”, Rey mumbles, looking up at her role model - her mother and hero. “What about my sisters?” 

Leia’s eyes harden. “They never understood your designation, Rey. They won’t understand it now either.” 

The Empress’ words feel like a stab to her heart and Rey feels her chin tremble by the sudden weight of it. 

Because the truth is that Rey’s whole life has been surrounded by this topic. Her sisters always saw her differently; talked to her slowly and gave her lighter tasks as she’d break like a fragile vase. Even if the Empress of the kingdom was an Omega herself, it still didn’t make their knowledge any better. And how much Rey tried to fight for her injustice, they brushed her off as young and reckless, that she doesn’t know better since she’s a young Omega. 

Rose didn’t understand when Rey tried to reason with her last evening. When Rey described the picture of the execution from a different angle. For the whole palace, even her sisters, the execution would simply be the justice of a war criminal. For Rey and the Empress, a failure of protection for one's child. 

Rose had looked at her with those pitying eyes as Rey cried for the Empress and what Rey once thought was just a sense of confusion, feels now mockingly. 

The Empress is right; they don’t understand Rey and if they found out about her running away with an Alpha, they wouldn’t stop to think and question that the action doesn’t match Rey’s morals. 

“I’ve prepared a bag,” The Empress explains, reaching out a pouch of leather. “It’s filled with a map of the landscape and food that’ll last you for a few days. Ben knows where to take you. If he doesn’t remember, mention his uncle.” 

Rey takes the bag from the Empress's hand, lowering her face to hide the fear that seeps through her soul in the form of tears and tinted face. She feels like an unaware and foolish pig enjoying the extra food given as a treat, not knowing she’d be slaughtered the next day. 

From the moment Rey woke up and saw her Empress’ burning eyes, she knew that something bad was upon to happen but this is bizarre. It’s such an odd thing that Leia’s strength, confidence, and dependence are what Rey has always adored about her mother, yet now may be the end of her. 

“Rey, dear. I believe in you,” With a single finger placed under her chin, Empress lifts Rey’s gaze to meet her eyes. “And I still believe in that bravery I saw burning in your eyes four years ago, for I know that the noblest knight wouldn’t dear take on this mission.” 

It’s hard not to smile, even with eyes hazed by tears. Rey questions if it really was bravery the Empress recognized that cloudy, dreadful day four years ago, but it doesn’t matter at this point. Only a fool wouldn’t use that unidentified emotion and turn it to one’s favor. In the end, Rey will have to go down the ghastly stairs and never return, for her loyalty to the Empress is the only thing Rey has. She wouldn’t be standing here if it wasn’t for Leia, so she must. 

“If the Empress believes this to be right, then so do I.”

Leia cups her moist cheeks. “I knew I could count on you.” 

When Rey stands by the hidden entrance with a small candle in her hand, swallowing anxiously and gathering enough fortitude to take a single step on the granite and into the dark, Leia calls her name.  A small, idiotic hope sparks inside of Rey, wishing for the continuing words to be a decline of the favor and a demand for her to go back to bed and pretend this was nothing but a confusing nightmare. Rey misses her sisters, she wants to be with them already. 

Instead, the Empress says with a concerned look: “Take the hidden lead, if you ever decide to come back…”

They both know that she’ll never be able to do so, but Rey nods anyways to reassure her. “Yes, my Empress.” 

The stairs seem to go on forever. Down, down the palace, it goes and it never seems to end. The air is moist, the grey-stoned walls feel as if they’re closing in around her and the small flicker of light threatens to die whenever a small wind comes her way. Something drips, echoing through the route together with Rey’s fast steps, and her heart beats for each one. 

It’s so dark and empty, and the yellow glow from her hands isn’t enough to light up her way. Every step she takes blindly and it has her heart beating dangerously fast.

Her eyes sting but Rey won’t cry. 

“You can do this…”, she whispers to herself, trying not to tremble when she hears something creep on the walls. Lizards or spiders, whatever it was, Rey refuses to turn and find out. 

If Rey could, she’d stop at her pace and curl up into a corner. She’d wail, realizing that her life would now go from the Empress’ maid to a traitor. In just a few aspects of seconds, her world has turned upside down and even if no crime has yet to be committed, Rey misses her old life already. 

Her sisters, her beloved sister, and Rose. _Rose_! She won’t be able to watch her get married or be there when she’ll one day birth that stupid guard's children. It was only a few days ago when Rey had told Rose in the Empress quarters that she’s not interested in Alphas an ounce. 

Will Rose suspect the lie the Empress plans to tell?

Either way, Rey cannot throw herself against the stone walls and cry for her past. She has to get going and save this amnestic, infamous son of Leia’s - the one she loves more than Rey, apparently. The sun is soon to rise and Rey has to hurry. 

It’s for the Empress. 

It feels like an eternity walking down the hall of the palace and Rey almost falls in a fit of panic until she sees a smaller light coming from the void-dark end ahead further away. The small candle she holds has been barely any help, making the light immediately notable in Rey’s needful eyesight. 

“Thank the gods!”, she cries to herself, running towards the light. But she stops once she notices it’s coming from a spring at the bottom of the granite wall, the light coming out as stripes and flickering like the candle she holds herself. 

Dreadfully, Rey realizes she has to lay down on the moist stone floor and she cringes when placing her knees on the floor before ducking her head to see through the bars, careful not to dirt the cloak Empress placed over her shoulders.

It’s clear that Rey has been long too comfortable as the Empress maid, barely dirtying her hands besides those times she and Rose had misbehaved then punished. Rey estimates that much worse things than laying on the ground are yet to come when ‘eloping’ with a forgetting war criminal. 

As the Empress mentioned, through the bars of the opening, Rey sees an open area with several cells lined beside each other on both sides of the room, lightened up by torches on the wall. Her gaze flickers between the area, searching for guards or anything else that might get her caught. 

The gap must look like a rusty louver from the outside and when Rey slowly pushes against it, it opens and it’s more than enough for her to creep through. She would’ve admired the cleverness in it all if it wasn’t for the hurry.

Everything is made slowly with calculated movements and Rey keeps in grunts the best she can as she crawl through the opening. In the awful silence, even the slightest of sounds causes attention - the flickers from the fire coming from the torches being the loudest for now.  But Rey barely hears it once she’s standing in the dungeon, her heartbeat taking the lead. It’s suddenly a reality that has her utterly terrified, the smell of misery and sweat that hasn’t been scented since she was an orphan causes her to shiver and nausea to kick in. 

The thought of curling up in her bed, with her worn, ivory nightgown on smelling of rosemary and naked feet caressing newly washed sheets, makes her eyes sting. 

This truly is her final moments of a peaceful life. 

“Who are you?” 

The rough, low voices cause Rey to jump - a low gasp escaping her parted lips. Thanks to the somber hidden escape route, her eyes have adjusted to the darkness usefully - spotting the source of the voice in a cell furthest away. It seems to be the only occupied one too. 

Rey hurries to it, light steps echoing through the dungeon’s gloomy walls, and stops right outside. It’s unexpectedly a relief when it’s dark enough for her to see the man she assumes is Ben Solo - or Kylo Ren. Though, it’s enough for her to remark on a silhouette; a big male standing in the shadows. It’s in a manner that has Rey thinking he might be suspicious of her. Touche. 

“A-are you Ben Solo?”, Rey asks, voice unsteady and whispering of fear. It bothers her. 

Kaydel would’ve been strong and dependent now, talking as if she were the Empress herself. Leia might have mentioned Rey’s bravery as a useful quality for this mission, but Rey knows it has nothing to do with such. 

It had only been about her designation - being the scapegoat. 

It depresses Rey and for a bit, it angers her as well. It may be the reason why she doesn’t want to see the face of the Empress' son. He has caused turbulence to Rey’s peaceful life, the reason for her coming destroyed reputation and Rey hates him for it. 

The man doesn’t seem to be answering, and it doesn’t help Rey’s fueling rage. “The Empress has sent me to take me with you and escape. Are you Ben Solo or not?” 

That seems to stir him. “Mother has?” 

“Where are the keys?” 

“By the door on a hook.” 

They’re immediately in Rey’s sight and within seconds, the door to the cell opens. 

Unfortunately, it lets out an eerie sound, rusty iron grinding stone, that shakes the whole ground and Rey’s face pales in pure panic when she hears movements from behind the wooden door. 

“What was that?”, an alert guard asks, his voice seeping of immediate action. 

“Hurry!”, Rey cries in a whisper, running towards the louver, and isn’t half as careful crawling through it. Clothes be damned, if they didn’t escape in time everything would go to waste! 

The lit candle Rey left in the moist underground is still flickering of life, and by the time Rey grabs the light and puts on the bag left with it, Ben Solo is behind her - breath heavy in the effort. Rey even manages to question how he manages to fit through - he might be double the size of her!

“Hey, Kylo Ren has escaped! Inform Sir Dameron now and shut down the palace’s gates immediately!” 

They both seem to freeze in alarm, widening eyes meeting in some sort of mutual understanding that if they didn’t hurry at this moment, they’d be doomed. Rey doesn’t hesitate for a moment to run towards the continuing darkness of the underground route, and if Ben Solo, or Kylo Ren, follows her or not, she doesn't find it important at the moment. 

Though as her fast steps echo against the moist stone walls, another pair joins right behind her and it’s a somewhat relief that the man’s suspiciousness has lowered for now. It would only be one more stone in her pocket, slowing them down. 

Either the darkness plays tricks with Rey’s mind, or she’s actually seeing an end to the dark tunnel. It’s an opening and fresh winds sweep past them so effortlessly, the smell of summer-night blooming in her nose and the sound of the violent river fill her ears. 

It lights her up, an end to this awful misery of running for one's life, and she lets out a big gasp in relief that sounds more like a sob through her heavy breathing. “There!” 

But to their horror, standing by the opening with heaving bodies, they realize that it might not end like planned. 

No, because the end of the underground route had led them several feet up the palace - looking like an open, molding sewer growing of moss from the outside. Right under them is the storming river that threatens an immediate death - nothing like the romantic puddle of water where she and her sister plays a few minutes up the river. 

It reminds Rey of Kaydel's words - Snoke’s men must have dumped Kylo’s unconscious body in the water in hope that the more violent streams would shed his limbs. Yet here he is standing with her, facing faith once again. 

“No, no, no”, Rey cries, gripping her hair in madness. 

What has the Empress done? How could she have led Rey blindly to a dead end? It cannot end like this. Rey can hear guards screaming through the dead night over the river’s shrieking, demanding all ports to close. At the horizon, behind the forest Rey has stared from her window hundreds of times, light shines - preparing for a new day. 

A day were rumors of the stupid Omega getting caught eloping with an amnestic war criminal, being the breakfast’s entertainment for the week. 

How humiliating, to die as a lie and to die breaking her promise to the Empress. 

_ It can not end like this!  _

“We have to jump”, a voice whispers from behind, as if realizing a riddle. 

Rey turns to him wide-eyed, face pale. “Have you gone mad?!” 

“Hold on tight”, he says, suddenly gripping Rey around the waist and with a palm to her mouth, he jumps - taking her with him. 

All Rey sees, as she screams into Alpha's hand, is the coal-black streams under her that opens its mouth - ready to swallow them down. A sudden coldness surrounds her and so does unconsciousness. 

**Author's Note:**

> BTW I HAVE NO FUCKING IDEA WHAT ERA THIS IS OR HOW I WROTE IT!! IS IT VICTORIAN? IDK BUT IT'S SOMETHING LMAOO 
> 
> My other stories…
> 
> [Heartbreak](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21035480) \- One-shot. Angsty, romance, cousin-incest, smut ;)
> 
> [Jewelery](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23776255) \- Two-shot (!) Dark, Robbery, smut. 
> 
> [A String Attached To Your Heart](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21375145/chapters/50917576) \- Looong story. Soulmate-AU. 
> 
> [Straight Line](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22639330/chapters/54108079) \- Four-shot. Dark, fucked-up marriage, smut.
> 
> [Regrets](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18622183/chapters/44157640) \- Loooong story. This one is D A R K, kidnapping, Stockholm syndrome, crime-boss!Kylo Ren, you name it! Has it’s own spin-off and sequel
> 
> [Gift](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26630401/chapters/64936441) \- ABO, Dark, reversed kidnapping, smut, WIP
> 
> [Sacrifice](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28758084/chapters/70517901) \- Two-shot. ABO, Omega!Ben and dark Alpha!Rey WIP
> 
> ~Lenkia


End file.
